DC's biggest blog for concert reviews
Big Freedia performs at 9:30 Club on Oct. 29, 2019. (Photo by Will Colbert)
What’s more New Orleans than a crawfish boil and king cake? Bounce music! The uninhibited twist on hip-hop is as beloved in NOLA as Go-Go in the nation’s capital. Freddie Ross, Jr., better known as Big Freedia (pronounced “FREE-da”), recently showed a packed 9:30 Club why he’s the “Queen of Bounce.”
Kevin Gates performs at Echostage on Oct. 27, 2019. (Photo by Chris Castillo)
Kevin Gates released his sophomore album, I’m Him, in September via Atlantic Records. Several weeks later, he embarked on a 32-date I’m Him Tour, and one stop on that tour was DC’s own Echostage. Chris Castillo shot some pictures of the Baton Rouge rapper.
Lloyd performs at the Howard Theatre on Oct. 26, 2019. (Photo by Chris Castillo)
R&B singer Lloyd Polite, Jr., known best as simply Lloyd, last year released Tru, his fifth studio album, via Young Goldie Music and Empire Distribution. Lloyd dropped by the Howard Theatre recently for an unplugged show, and Chris Castillo was there to get some pictures.
Buddy Guy (Photo courtesy The State Threatre)
“Don’t let them goddam blues die,” Muddy Waters once told Buddy Guy. That was over three decades ago, but the eight-time Grammy award-winning blues guitarist and singer hasn’t forgotten. Buddy spent a recent night reminding fans at The State Theatre in Falls Church that the blues are very much alive.
Kenny Wayne Shepherd performs at Wolf Trap on June 23, 2019. (Photo by Ari Strauss)
Bluesman Kenny Wayne Shepherd emerged from Wolf Trap recently every bit the Southern guitar hero. The fan sitting next to me saw Kenny several years ago at the much smaller Ram’s Head in Annapolis. He said that Kenny Wayne really brought his performance up to the scale of the stage. He absolutely shredded.
Jon Batiste performs at The Anthem his band, Stay Human, on June 15, 2019. The performance occurred during the 15th Annual DC JazzFest. (Photo by Ari Strauss)
Anyone who watches late-night television likely knows Jon Batiste. He and his band, Stay Human, are the house band on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. The band paid a visit to DC recently to perform as a headline act at The Anthem during the 15th annual DC JazzFest.
Dylan LeBlanc (Photo by Alysse Gafkjen)
Dylan LeBlanc may not look like Bob Dylan, but the two Dylans connected through LeBlanc’s horse rasp and musical style at Pearl Street Warehouse recently.
Jon Batiste (Photo courtesy Ticketfly)
The DC Jazz Festival is presenting music all around town next week, and one of the marquee jazz festival performances will be Jon Batiste & Stay Human at The Anthem on Saturday, June 15.
Mary Gauthier (Photo by Laura Partain)
Nashville singer-songwriter Mary Gauthier, winner of Americana Music Association UK’s International Artist of the Year Award and the International Folk Music Awards’ Album of the Year for Rifles & Rosary Beads, performs at City Winery DC on Sunday, March 24.
Jon Cleary performs at The Hamilton on March 5, 2019. (Photo by Ari Strauss)
Grammy Award winner Jon Cleary and his band, the Absolute Monster Gentlemen, brought their Mardi Gras vibe to DC recently for a Fat Tuesday celebration at The Hamilton Live.